For years I ran a laptop below at the Nav station. A few years ago I bought a 20 ft center console that needed a plotter/fishfinder, so I picked up a Garmin 540s. I realized that this little gem really was simple to navigtate with! So I wound up buying a second mounting station and mounted the 540 out on my Edson pedestal on my sailboat. After numerous trips from East End of LI to the Cape, Vineyard, and Boston area, I have found that I no longer even turn the laptop on!! What could be more convenient than watching a color plotter, with AIS overlaid, right at the helm, on a swivel bracket so that wherever I am seated I can have the plotter facing directly at me! The Surface pro, etc are all nice, but how can you use them out at the helm?- in stormy weather? at night?

My days of using laptops are over! I'll take the simple chart plotter at the helm. I do use the laptop to plan the trip; it's definitely easier for that!

Just my 2 cents!

Rodd L